Designer Rahul Khanna On Dressing The Modern Man

Designer Rahul Khanna has spent decades shaping contemporary Indian ceremonial dressing alongside Rohit Gandhi, first as the country’s pioneering prêt menswear duo and later in womenswear with their eponymous brand. Now they plunge into the depths of the ocean with their Spring/Summer Collection 2026 to study the stillness surrounded by motion — of flux held in suspension. 

The 2026 collection, Abyssal, takes inspiration from the ocean’s hidden depths, crafting garments where structure, texture, and subtle detail reveal themselves gradually—much like light filtering through water. Pearls, metallic flowers, and delicate stonework trace silhouettes that capture both the quiet grace and untamed originality of the ocean floor, reflecting a couture philosophy that values precision and restraint. In conversation with Esquire India, Khanna shares the guiding principles behind Abyssal and offers five lessons on styling the contemporary man:

Abyssal explores a world where light comes from within. What was the starting point this season?

The starting point was restraint. We kept asking ourselves how far we could push depth without leaning on obvious embellishment. The idea of light from within has always fascinated us, in fact we explored it in an earlier collection. But this season we wanted to look at it differently. We were drawn to how light behaves in the depths of the ocean, how living organisms reveal themselves slowly and in a very controlled way. That’s where the idea of Abyssal came from: garments that don’t announce themselves immediately, but unfold as you look closer. 

You've described the collection as an exploration of a "world where light comes from within." What does it mean in the context of masculinity today?

Masculinity today feels far more self-aware. It doesn’t need to constantly prove anything. There’s a new generation of men who want to feel seen but not through excess or loud statements.They’re looking at ways to express themselves confidently through clean fits, silhouettes and subtle details. When something sits right on the body and feels intentional, the confidence is immediate. That quiet certainty is really what this collection is about.

Was there something you wanted to push or disrupt in menswear this time?

We've observed that formal menswear can become a little predictable. It tends to lean either too traditional or too rigid. We didn’t want it to feel stiff or overly ceremonial. With this collection, we played with layering, tonal textures and detailing. The idea was to add depth without losing sharpness and making it feel more current without becoming a costume.

What’s the biggest shift you’re seeing in Indian menswear right now?

Men today are far more informed. They’re genuinely invested in what they wear on their big day instead of leaving the decisions to someone else. They understand tailoring, care about the cut and notice how a jacket sits on the shoulder or where the sleeve should end. There’s less appetite for heavy embellishment and more interest in tonal dressing, deeper colours, layered textures and subtle detail.

Five lessons about styling the contemporary man from this collection ?

If there’s one thing this collection reinforces, it’s that fit comes first, because when a garment sits right, you don’t need much else.

We’ve also found that staying within a tonal palette feels far more powerful than high contrast, for example, layering shades of the same colour creates depth.

Texture can replace heavy ornamentation; subtle embroidery or a controlled sheen can add dimension without overwhelming the look.

Editing is important too, because if something feels unnecessary, it probably is.

And above all, wear it with ease. Confidence doesn’t come from conforming to rules, it comes from feeling completely comfortable in what you’re wearing.